from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Ginger \Gin"ger\, n. [OE. ginger, gingever, gingivere, OF.
gengibre, gingimbre, F. gingembre, L. zingiber, zingiberi,
fr. Gr. ?; of Oriental origin; cf. Ar. & Pers. zenjeb[imac]l,
fr. Skr. [,c][.r][.n]gav["e]ra, prop., hornshaped; ???ga horn
+ v["e]ra body.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Zingiber}, of the East and
West Indies. The species most known is {Zingiber
officinale}.
[1913 Webster]
2. The hot and spicy rootstock of {Zingiber officinale},
which is much used in cookery and in medicine.
[1913 Webster]
{Ginger ale}
(a) a soft drink flavored with ginger and carbonated.
(a) See {ginger beer}, below.
{Ginger beer} or {Ginger ale}, a mild beer impregnated with
ginger.
{Ginger cordial}, a liquor made from ginger, raisins, lemon
rind, and water, and sometimes whisky or brandy.
{Ginger pop}. See {Ginger ale} (above).
{Ginger wine}, wine impregnated with ginger.
{Wild ginger} (Bot.), an American herb ({Asarum Canadense})
with two reniform leaves and a long, cordlike rootstock
which has a strong taste of ginger.
[1913 Webster]